Let's be clear. The Covid pandemic is by no means over. However, it does seem to be moving in that direction. Also it seems that the vast majority of those dying are those too moronic to have availed themselves of a free, effective and safe vaccine.
But it seems unfair that a new disease is following on fast. Monkeypox! Being realistic DZ thinks this is not in the same league as covid. It's mortality is far less than that of covid, and transmission between individuals requires actual physical contact, unlike covid, where you only had to breathe the same air as a diseased person.
And also, most importantly, we have had a vaccine effective against monkeypox since1796! Cowpox, smallpox, and monkeypox are all so closely related that those who survive infection to one, have immunity to all. This is the whole basis of deliberate infection with cowpox, a relatively but not entirely benign infection, to convey immunity to smallpox, one of the great historical scourges of humanity, with a mortality rate that makes covid look like a sniffle in comparison.
And recent research shows that smallpox vaccination causes lifelong immunity.
DZ is very happy to know that. In 1962 there was a small outbreak of smallpox, centred in the northern UK city of Bradford. DZ mother dragged me as, a child, vociferously unwilling, to receive smallpox vaccination, for which he is belatedly grateful. So he is confidant that he is safe against monkeypox.
More importantly he is still safe against smallpox. In a world where the lunatic warmongering leader of Russia actually has the ability to release smallpox virus again into the world that is very comforting.
And one plus for anyone unfortunate enough to become infected with monkeypox is that they will probably be immune to smallpox too.
No comments:
Post a Comment